BY DESTINY AIHIELU
The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers on Tuesday vowed to continue its nationwide strike after the collapse of the conciliation meeting organized by the Minister of Labor and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, to settle the crisis between the union and the Dangote refinery on Monday.
The meeting ended in a stalemate as both parties disagreed on the unionization of tanker drivers at the Dangote refinery.
NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, who spoke on Arise News Television on Tuesday, said the union had no choice but to press on with industrial action after Dangote’s management rejected recognized oil and gas unions and allegedly claimed to have a separate association for its workers.
Akporeha stated that the representative of the Dangote refinery, Sayyu Dantata, walked out of the meeting.
“The strike is still on. We started yesterday. As it is, we are still open to dialogue. Discussions are also going on. But the strike is still on. We started the strike yesterday. Now, we have been told that we should slow down on the strike.
“We thought that yesterday’s meeting would just be a one-day affair, and we’d all go back. But what we saw yesterday should tell Nigerians that we are in for a dictator investor, and we must stand up against that. So, the strike continues anyway. But I’m hopeful that a good reason will prevail and the issue will be resolved as quickly as possible,” he said.
The labor leader alleged that the Dangote refinery created an alternative drivers’ association to weaken NUPENG, describing the move as illegal.
He insisted that the law only recognizes existing unions such as NUPENG, PENGASSAN and others in the oil and gas sector.
While clarifying that strike action was a legitimate industrial tool, Akporeha stressed that dialogue remained open.
“Strikes are part of industrial relations. But under my leadership, it has never been the first option. We are still engaging, but no employer has the right to enslave workers,” he said.
He dismissed allegations that NUPENG was attempting to sabotage the refinery or frustrate local production.
“Everybody wants Dangote to succeed, including NUPENG. But he must play by the rules. Nigeria cannot afford investors who act like dictators or slave drivers,” he said.
Akporeha urged Nigerians to support the union’s stance, describing the struggle as a fight to protect workers’ dignity and secure democratic workplaces.
That petroleum tanker drivers on Monday made real their threat to shun fuel loading due to the crisis between them and the Dangote refinery as a result of the unionization of tanker drivers.
This was despite an appeal by the federal government that they shelve the plan.
In some parts of the country, filling stations were also closed by NUPENG members.
The Aradel refinery in Obele, Port Harcourt, was shut. The Kwale Hydrocarbon facility in Delta State was shut.
NUPENG had on Friday declared its intention to stop loading fuel this week over allegations that the Dangote refinery planned to ban the drivers recruited for its 4,000 trucks from joining the union.
NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, on Sunday confirmed that the Federal Government had reached out to the union on the need to avert the strike. He, however, insisted that the industrial action would go ahead.
As of Monday morning, The PUNCH gathered that there was full compliance with the directive that no driver should lift fuel.
Checks by our correspondents confirmed that activities at petroleum depots were paralyzed across the country.
NUPENG officials visited the depots to enforce compliance.
In various depots across the country, especially those in Lagos and Warri, Delta State, drivers parked their trucks to wait for the next directive as far as fuel lifting was concerned.
There are concerns that the country may experience a serious fuel crisis should the strike continue for a day.